Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association

“Stephen edge and deborah edge are siblings.”

“The entire board is given the opportunity to review the form 990 before it is filed. A copy of the final 990 will then be distributed to the entire board.”

“The conflict of interest policy is consistently monitored and policed through the mandatory annual disclosure form. New directors also complete the form when they come on board.”

“The compensation review process for top officials is determined subsequent to the determination of the overall annual fiscal budget. The president establishes the overall annual budget, compensation adjustments are then determined based on the overall budget with specific salaries approved by the board.”

“Disclosure is available via request and is also posted online, and in the published annual report.”

“Hawk mountain sanctuary association programs and services background hawk mountain sanctuary was founded in 1934 by pioneer conservationist rosalie edge as the world's first refuge for birds of prey. The sanctuary's founding was a turning point in reversing their widespread persecution. Today the association, incorporated in 1938, continues its pioneering work to protect birds of prey through education and public engagement, and science-based conservation programs, including monitoring of raptor and other migrant populations, conducting scientific research, and through information sharing and providing professional conservation training. Seven biologists and educators serve on its program staff, including three ph.d.-level scientists. In the last decade, the sanctuary has been at the forefront of globally important scientific efforts to monitor raptor populations and to study the dynamics of raptor migration and ecology. Its acopian center for conservation learning serves as a hub for global raptor information, training and studies. Programs areas nature discovery wildlife watching, hiking, eco-tourism hawk mountain sanctuary is a world-class observation site for birds of prey and is a federally-designated national natural landmark. The annual autumn spectacle of thousands of wild hawks, eagles and falcons in flight, combined with its scenic mountain views, appeal to a wide audience. Each year hawk mountain hosts an average 70,000 visitors. Free nature interpretation is practiced at its lookouts during spring and fall migration. The sanctuary visitor center, which is open daily and free to the public, houses a museum on birds of prey and nature bookstore. A "wings of wonder" gallery features 19 hand-carved and painted, life-size models of raptors in flight. Trails are open dawn to dusk year-round. Hawk mountain is committed to increasing accessibility for all and offers at no extra charge an all-terrain wheelchair for visitor use. Upon request, staff or volunteers will transport to the closest overlook-also at no cost-visitors with limited mobility via a low-impact golf cart. A capital project to build a fully-accessible connector walkway to the south lookout is now underway, as is a capital project to construct and open a fully-functioning and outdoor amphitheater. Conservation education school and group programs, public programming, life-long learning per its mission, birds of prey are the primary focus for learning in hawk mountain education program. Appalachian forest ecology is incorporated as much as possible, especially by using outside experts and by encouraging spontaneous discovery based on the changing seasons. Environmental education programs range from pre-school to college level. An extensive on-site education program includes more than 500 free interpretive programs for the general public, up to a dozen special-focus workshops for nominal fees, and four fully accredited college-level courses through cedar crest college. Types of programs include public programs, teacher workshops, college courses, and three-month residential internships. Programs are designed to (1) be science and inquiry-based, (2) offer content and skills to empower visitors to observe and learn about nature after their visit, and (3) provide meaningful, site-specific content that resonates with people of all ages. Facilities include an outdoor amphitheater and newly expanded, ada-accessible education building, as well as the "wings of wonder gallery" in the visitor center for public lectures. Sanctuary trails lead to eight scenic lookouts that provide a backdrop for most education experiences at hawk mountain. During autumn, up to a dozen personnel spot birds and interpret the migration for visitors at two primary lookouts. Hawk mountain also has an active publications program, including a dozen booklets, flyers and books as well as a wide range of materials provided free via its website. Instructional materials include a 92-page teacher guid”

“Conservation training since 1976, hawk mountain's conservation science internship program has trained more than 370 young conservationists from 67 countries on six continents. Upon their return home, trainees continue to work with us as partners and help to move forward hawk mountain's mission to conserve birds of prey worldwide. Partially through endowment but also funded in part by general operations, the best and brightest young conservationists come to hawk mountain at absolutely no cost. Trainees are selected exclusively upon personal merit and the conservation need in their area-never on individual ability to pay. The sanctuary also actively supports alumni work, including raising funds and offering technical assistance for their associated organizations. Examples include providing tools to help start migration counts, helping to launch critically needed research projects or by helped to fund workshops in the places where it is most needed. Training also is offered as summer field experiences for north american undergraduates, and leadership-level internships are designed for young professionals who are in the early stages of a promising conservation career. All internships at hawk mountain sanctuary are provided free of charge. Recently hawk mountain has started to offer positions for its trainee graduates through its graduate student program, in which hawk mountain serves as an advisor to a young conservationist who seeks a doctoral degree. This program ensures that trainees have a leading edge, and equipped to effect change at a leadership level. Land and facilities building use and maintenance as well as land stewardship activities operation of hawk mountain's physical plant of 2,500 acres and six buildings depends on a staff of three and many volunteers. With visitor safety and satisfaction being the highest priority, staff must provide continuous maintenance on the 8-mile trail system including monitoring storm water runoff and invasive plant removal, adding new hand or safety railing where necessary, and re-grading roadways and trails as needed. Facilities include the visitor center (public), the acopian center for conservation learning (science and training), the education building (education), a maintenance shed and raptor enclosures, two three-sided adirondack shelters and an eight-site tent-only campground, and three staff residences. For safety purposes, at least one staff member is on site and on-call at all times, 365 days a year. Hawk mountain facilities staff this year has launched a five-year project to remove and ultimately to control invasive plants on the sanctuary. This work is funded through the usda and includes use of hand-pulling, weed whacking, grazing by animals and herbicide spray along with public education components. Capital projects facility improvements above and beyond the general operating budget hawk mountain's four-phase capital improvement plan calls for a $10 million funding goal which aims to improve upon the sanctuarys current assets. The first phase-the expansion of the common room into a newly expanded and improved education building is complete and now includes full ada accessibility, safe school bus turnaround, an expanded outdoor patio, high speed internet and modern technology and an interpretive trail that links the parking area to the building.”

“The second phase will be construction of a proper outdoor amphitheater, already supported with a lead gift of $250,000 from the pennsylvania game commission. This plan calls for an ada accessible walkway from the parking area to the new gathering space, addition of native plantings, a stone and timber stage area with sound and lighting, and moisture resistant seating. The walkway concept has expanded and now will extend all the way to south lookout to better meet visitor needs. The third phase will focus on the scenic gateway and creating a proper approach the sanctuary, and implementing recommendations from a visitor and parking study, while the final phase will be a renovation or rebuilt of the visitor center offices with a focus on improving energy efficiency and improving visitor services.”

“Current year unrealized gains on investments 581,771.”